Trump Bets on NBC Reality Show

NBC has cut a deal with Donald Trump and "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett for a 13-episode reality series that promises to pit 20 would-be business moguls in a contest to win a six-figure salary working for Trump.

Dubbed "The Apprentice," the series will assemble a group of candidates from all walks of life -- from MBA students to street hustlers -- in a competition to become the "apprentice" to the "master," a.k.a. Trump. The contestants will be put through various tests and challenges. Each episode will conclude with contestants facing a grilling from Trump and some of his top executives, and Trump will ultimately fire one candidate each week.

The finale will find the executive-in-training rewarded with a yearlong job at a six-figure salary with the Trump Organization.

"Mark Burnett and Donald Trump are the best in their respective businesses. They are the ultimate survivors," NBC entertainment president Jeff Zucker said. "Just as these young competing professionals will enhance their career prospects, we believe that this series will push the reality genre to new creative horizons."

Burnett said that he had always been a "huge admirer" of Trump. And Trump himself suggested that the project could pay dividends for his company's recruiting efforts.

"Mentoring up-and-coming executives has been something I've always enjoyed, and this is a way to discover a new generation of business leaders in a fun, entertaining and cutthroat way -- not unlike the real business world," Trump said in a statement.

NBC and Burnett hope "The Apprentice" will turn into a long-term franchise that could move to new locales and situations after the first season with Trump is completed. The network has yet to set an airdate for the show, but it is unlikely to be ready to premiere until fall at the earliest.